In many electronics applications, an analog input signal is converted to a digital output signal. For instance, in precision measurement systems, an electronic device is provided with a sensor to make measurements, and this sensor can generate an analog input signal. The analog signal is then provided to an ADC to generate a digital output signal for further processing. In another instance, an antenna generates an analog signal based on electromagnetic waves carrying information/signals in the air. The analog signal generated by the antenna is then provided to an ADC to generate a digital output signal for further processing.
Thus, ADCs can be found in many places such as broadband communication systems, audio systems, receiver systems, etc. ADCs translate analog electrical signals representing real-world phenomena, e.g., light, sound, temperature or pressure, to digital signals for data processing purposes. ADCs are used in a broad range of applications including communications, energy, healthcare, instrumentation and measurement, motor and power control, industrial automation, and aerospace/defense.
Designing an ADC is a non-trivial task because each application can have different goals in speed, performance, power, cost and size. As the number of applications using ADCs grows, the desire for accurate and reliable conversion performance also grows.